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There are currently 20 member reviews
for Buying In
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Carolyn R. (Eugene, OR)
October. 2013
As a novice in the world of investment banking and making "the deal" I found this book to be very informative and straightforward. If the author wished to teach the reader about her career, then Ms. Hemphill was very successful...
On a more personal note I found myself cheering Sophie on to succeed in the chauvinistic world in which she found herself, under appreciated and largely ignored. But she did soldier on at great personal service. She learned how to play the game, all the back stabbing that goes with the territory and so much more. She left wise beyond her years, often acting more mature than her superiors.
I also liked the ambiguous ending. A good Book Club discussion, perhaps?!?
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Rose N. (Saginaw, MI)
Buying In by Laura Hemphill
"Buyiing In" is an absolutely fascinating portrayal of the inside wheeling and dealing of the fictional Wall Street investment bank, Sterling. The main characters are fully developed...from the shrewd veteran to the wide-eyed newly hired. Having spent seven years working on Wall Street, Ms. Hemphill certainly understands and capably shares with her readers what it takes for a young, ambitious woman to make her stand in this complex world. Even with complete ignorance of this type of high finance, I was utterly drawn into this exciting, dramatic, and totally readable novel. The story gives one good insight into the rise and fall of investment banks such as that which our country has recently experienced. An excellent choice for any reader and for any book club.
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Mal H. (Livermore, CA)
Buying In
I enjoyed this debut novel from Laura Hemphill. Buying In came across as more non-fiction than fiction. A very realistic glimpse into the world of investment baking. The politics, the interactions, the competitive nature and the not so flattering sides of people and the banking industry as a whole all portrayed very well.
Hemphill does a wonderful job with the main protagonist Sophie, as well as demonstrating the obstacles and challenges a female faces in this predominately male field. Her writing style is well formed for a newbie author.
Hemphill presents an absorbing story in a field that was once held in high esteem, with a great cast of characters in a wonderfully presented narrative. A few twists and turns strength the integrity of the plot/characters.
If you are in the finance or business sector you will really appreciate this novel. If your not in the business field this will give you a great feel for the topsy turvy would of business and a storyline that is rather enthralling. Great debut novel, looking forward to future efforts from Laura Hemphill.
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Elizabeth K. (Dallas, TX)
A very scary portrait of the banking industry
No, it's not a thriller or a horror novel, but it's scary, nevertheless. The writing is excellent, I like Sophie, but I'm not sure I agree with reviewers who praise her for outfoxing the men around her. Is this what banking is about? Fooling and manipulating people, including co-workers, clients, and the public? This book is quite thought-provoking and I do recommend reading it. You may, like me, wonder if Sophie's success is worth the sacrifices she makes, and what the long-term consequences of staying in the field will be. My favorite character was Vasu, and I'd love to read a sequel with Vasu as the main character.
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Sandy P. (Gainesville, FL)
Very promising new author
Overall this was a very well written and enjoyable book. I liked it because I'm fascinated with the volatility of the market. I was impressed with the plot development from Sophie's naïveté when she first arrives in NYC to her becoming a successful realist and taking charge of her own life and future. I liked her mentor's insightful comment of "don't go all Pollyanna on me". I'm not sure why she thought a high profile job of analyst wouldn't make huge demands on her time and, ultimately, cost her relationship with Will. The other thing that bothered me (and seemed out of place) was why a new hire would risk everything by rifling through co-workers' desk drawers (her boss included). It came across to me as "oh, it's after hours, I think I'll go see what I can find in Ethan and Vasu's desk drawer". It seemed like a more plausible way of snooping could have been developed, perhaps with an employee on the 'inside' feeding her the information she wanted. Every company has its share of 'loose lips' to be exploited.
The ending built to a surprising climax and yet managed to tie up the loose ends. Sophie seemed torn when it came to her loyalty between with Hutch or Ethan. Good to see that in the end she managed to survive the chaos and gain leverage and an upper hand on Ethan and ultimately get what she wanted. Sophie's naiveté seemed to evaporate a bit and be replaced with a healthy dose of reality and skepticism.
Looking at the author's background I always commend people for writing what they know about first hand, and Ms. Hemphill definitely succeeded. I'll look for her next work.
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Mary M. (Beverly Hills, FL)
A complex and suspenseful plot
Initially, this book is highly reminiscent of "The Devil Wears Prada." Fresh, naive, ambitious young woman, with a sweetly altruistic boyfriend, family pressure, long hours, predatory colleagues, etc., but the protagonist, Sophie, is a very different character indeed. She manages, sometimes by luck, but more often by sheer determination and what can only be called manipulation - which in her investment banking job is not a bad thing - to make a name and a place for herself. And all at the time of the Wall Street implosion of a few years ago.
I did find myself slogging through some of the book, particularly the factual parts about how deals are actually made, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be interesting to others. I was more interested in, and held by the various characters, who are not all what they first seem to be.
Also, the book jacket describes the story as a woman's struggle in a man's world, but this is misleading. The genders of the characters are essentially irrelevant. Yes, Sophie is a young woman, and yes, her bosses are mostly men, but that just seems to be a reality of the business. Nobody is all bad or all good, male or female.
I was actually somewhat surprised by the ending, which is much more complex than the beginning chapters would lead you to expect. Since it was written by a woman who spent some years in this business, I think it is probably pretty accurate - which is a little scary.
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Marion C. (Litchfield, NH)
The Fall
Buying In tells the entertaining story of Sophie's adventures as a first-year analyst with Sterling and Sons, a brokerage investment bank. Sophie is from rural Massachusetts and has a lot to learn on her job dealing with mergers and the idiosyncrasies of big-named corporations in a male-dominated profession. Sophie's ideas of a 9-5 job with anticipated sight-seeing adventures are quickly replaced by reality. She works all-night for most of the five difficult months making changes in merger documents for early morning meetings. Events take place where Sophie quickly matures and applies the advice given by her boss Ethan, surprising both him and the reader. Wall Street, high finances and rigorous deals in a male-dominated profession all pique my interests, so I look forward to her next adventure.
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